Electrolytic apparatus.



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ELECTROLYTIC APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 19, 1905.

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PATENTED OCT. 24, 1905.

F. J. BRIGGS. ELEOTROLYTIG APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 19, 1905.

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PATENTED OCT. 24, 1905.

P. J. BRIGGS. ELECTROLYTIC APPARATUS.

.APPLIOA'I'IQN FILED JAN. 19, 1905.

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' pusually about a thousand pounds) by balanc- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK J. BRIGGS, OF EVERETT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- SIXTH TO GEORGE F. TARBELL AND ONE-SIXTH TO HENRY A. LOOKE, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTROLYTIC APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24, 1905.

Application filed January 19, 1905. Serial No. 241,716.

of which the following is a specification.

" This invention relates to an improved electrolytic apparatus for the decomposition of the salts of the alkaline metals, and it relates particularly to that class of electrolytic apparatus to which my invention described and illustrated in Letters Patent of the United States, dated May 12, 1903, and numbered 727,889, belongs, reference being made to the saidTiatent. A

My present invention has for one of its principal objects to reduce the weight of the said apparatus by doing away with the cathodes shown in said patent (said cathodes weighing ing the dialyzers by means of a system of levers and comparatively small weights. the

. tank being made of iron (not new in this invention) and the perforated iron sheets which 7 make parts of the dialyaers operating together with the iron tank as a cathode. By this construction .1 am enabled to balance comparal tively light dialyzers, weighing, perhaps, two

hundred to two hundred and fifty pounds, by fmeans of apparatus which may weigh, perhaps, thirty-five pounds for each dialyzer.

The second object of the invention has particuiar relation to the effect of the rising-andfalling movements of the floating dialyzers sustained in and by the liquid in the cell, as described in the said Letters Patent, such rising being by reason of the increase in the specific gravity in the caustic soda in the tank or cathode compartment or by reason of some defect in the dialyzer whereby any of the contents can enter the tank through an opening or openings in the diaphragm or when the rise is produced by reason of a too rapid decomposition with relation to the feed. In the invention described in the patent referred to when the dialyzer rose the positive electrical connection was broken by disconnecting certain mercury-cups. In my present invention as the perforated iron forming a part of the dialyzer and the end walls forming a part thereof perform a portionof the function of a cathode it is necessarily connected with the negative electrical connection, and inasmuch as it rises and falls as a part of the dialyzer this connection is made and broken at the same time as the positive connection, and

hence cannot be rigid. A suitable non-rigid connection is therefore provided.

A third object of this" invention is to provide means for retaining the electricity in circuit should the dialyzers chance to rise high enough to become disconnected from the elec-Y trical circuit.

This is important because in practice an electrolytic apparatus of this character is not used alone, but is commonly one;

of many similar cells electrically connected in the same circuit, and it is not desirable that one pair of dialyzersshould by becoming dis connected shut off the supply of electricity; 1 have therefore provided means. whereby in the event of i the simultaneous rise of both the dialyzers from the others in the series.

the electrical circuit will be instantly completed through the tank until one of the dialy- Zers falls and again enters the circuit.

Fourth. In the invention describedin the said patent the escape of chlorin gas is prevented by a trap or lute, which requires to be supplied at intervals with salt water or simi lar substance. In the present improvement a lute or trap is provided which having once received a suitable liquid, such as oil, for pre-i venting overflow, operates automatically an does not require replenishment.

The nature and operation of the invention are fully described below and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section taken through the tank, showing one of the dialyzers in elevation, portions being represented as broken out. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus. Fig. 3 is an end view with a portion of an end wall of the tank broken out. Fig. A is a cross vertical section of the apparatus. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail illustrating the mechanism for completing the circuit through the tank in case of the simultaneous rise of the two dialyzers. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the same. Fig. ,7 isa vertical section taken through the lute or trap and its connecting parts. Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross vertical section in detail of. the

upper portion of one'of the anodes and the parts connecting the upper portion of the dialyzer. Fig. 9 is a sectional detail of a part of the connection between the diaphragm and its supports.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts.

10 represents an iron tank, preferably provided with the angle-iron side top bars 11 and end top bars 12, the tank providing or producing a single cathode-compartment containing two dialyzers. Each dialyzer comprises a diaphragm consisting of a sheet of perforated iron 13 and a sheet of asbestos cloth 14,

the perforated iron end walls 15, the said diaphragm and end walls performing the function of a cathode, and the slate tops or side bars 16, between the bottoms of which and horizontal bars 17 of angle-iron the upper ends of the diaphragm are secured by clamps 23, held in place by suitable set-screws. (See Figs. 1, 4, and 8.) s

18 represents rows or series of anodes which are suspended in the dialyzers by means of bolts, 19, Fig. 8, which extend horizontally through the upper ends of the anodes and conneet the two horizontal bars 20, grooved at 2 1.(see Fig. 8) on their outer surfaces, said bars being set in recesses 22- on the inner sides of the bars 16 and extending into suitable recesses on the opposite sides of the anodes. The e bars constitute the tops of the closed dialyzers and also operate to hold the anodes Thus all the an.- .edes in a row can be removed at the same time and gas is prevented from escaping from the dialyzer. The ends of the bars 16 are supported by socket-shaped frames 24,which in turn support the upper ends of the end walls 15 of the dialyzers.

The vertical portions of the socket-shaped fireflies 24 are each vertically slotted to receive the thickened end 25 of the projection 26 extending horizontally inward from a born 27, Figs; 1 and 9, each of the said four horns-rune being at the end of each dialyz'erextending through a vertical slot 28, Fig. 3, in the lower portion of a link or hanger 29, the upper end of which is slotted at 30 to receive the outer hooked end of the short arm of a lever 31, pivoted at 32 on posts 33,, Supported by and making a part of the frame 34, which is bolted to the tank at 35, a frame being located at each end of the appa: ratus and two inwardly-extending levers being adapted to support the outer ends of each dialyzer. The long arm of each lever is provided with a fixed weight 36 and with an adjustable weight 37 and the inner ends of the levers connected with each dialyzer interlock by means of a pin 38, Fig. 2, which extends from a tongue 39, Fig. 1, projecting from one lever into a bifurcation 40 in the end of the other lever. The horns at the right'end Qttbe apparatus are locked by means Of set: screws 41; which extend through the thick:

ened ends 25 and set against suitable metallic seats on the bars 16, whereby the said projections may be brought up against the upper ends of the slots in the frames 24.

Extending up centrally from the bars 20, which constitute the cover of each dialyzer. is a pipe 44, surrounded by an oil-cup 45, and extending down into said oil-cup around the pipe 44 is a pipe 46, closed at its upper end. The two pipes 46, (see Fig. 7,) which are over the two dialyzers, are connected by a pipe 47, preferably curved up at a central portion, the ports or outer ends of said pipe 47 opening into the pipes 46 below the upper ends of the pipes 44. From the central portion of the pipe 47 there extends upward a pipe 48, which leads to a tower for conducting the chlorin gas to a suitable chamber or receptacle. This structure constitutes a lute or trap which need not be replenished after a suitable amount of oil has been put into the oil-cups 45, said lute 'or trap being rendered necessary in order to prevent the gas from escaping during the movements of the floating dialyzers. The height of the pipes 46 is sufiicient to allow for the vertical movement of the dialyzers, and the upward curvature of the pipes is for the purpose of preventing any oil which may be drawn up to either of its ends from mounting high enough to travel over the highest point therein.

At the positive end of the tank is aclamp 49, adapted to connect with the next tank in the series, and extending from it is a copper bar 50, which makes connections with the dialyzers by means of four mercury-cups 51, (not new in this invention.) At the negative end the wire 52 connects with a mercury-cup -53, secured to the tank and containing an ordinary electrical connection 54 with the dialyzers. It is evident that by means of the system of weights and levers and the mechanism intermediate therewith and the dialyzers above described said dialyzers, which floatin the manner specified in the said Letters Patent, are balanced by comparatively light weights, no heavy cathodes being necessary, nor cathodes of any kind aside-from the iron tank (which is much lighter than slate) and the perforated iron sheets which make parts of the dialyzers.

Extending down from theframe 34 are metallic contact-pins 55, and pivotally supported at 5.6 on the copper bar (see Figs. 5 and 6) is a lever 57, provided with a weight 58 atone end and a copper box 59, supported between the arms 60, atthe other end under the contact-pin 55. A bent metallic rod 61 extends up from each dialyzer under the copper law; 59. (See Fig. 6.) Should the dialyzers rise out of electrical contact with the circuit, the bent arms will lift the box into contact with the pin and the electrical circuit be thus c mple ed throu h t e nk By his means the lifting of the dialyzers out of girthe interior of the lower part of the tank to the outside thereof and has its upper end bent downward, as shown at 64, and overflowpipes 65, extend from the interiors of the dialyzers over the upper edge of the tank and down to about the levels of the bottoms of I the dialyzers and thence to the point indicated,

with their ends 66 bent downward. By this means the contents of the tank and dialyzers above the desired points flow or are siphoned through said pipes.

The method of producing chlorin and caustic soda electrolytically, consisting in electrolyzing an aqueous solution of sodium chlorid, separating the chlorin thus formed and the by-product (caustic soda) by means of a balanced or floating dialyzer, is described in detail in the Letters Patent numbered 727,889, above referred to, and needs no further detailed description in this application. In the employment of cells constructed as set forth in the said patent it is necessary to adjust the dialyzers by means of levers and numerous mercury connections, and in practice there is 'found difliculty in manufacturing the appara- Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an electrolytic apparatus, a cell, a dialyzer floating therein, anodes sustained in the dialyzer, a balance-weight distinct from and independent of a cathode, and balancing mechanism intermediate of said weight and dialyzer. 2. In an electrolytic apparatus, acell, adialyzer sustained therein, anodes sustained in the dialyzer, a balance-weight outside the cell,

. and balancing mechanism intermediate of said weight and dial yzer.

3. In an electrolytic apparatus, a dialyzer floating in the cell and containing a portion which operates as a cathode, anodes su ined in the dialyzer, an iron tank which operates as a cathode, a weight distinct from said tank, and balancing mechanism intermediate of said weight and dialyzer.

4C. In an apparatus of the character described, a cell, a dialyzer sustained therein, anodes sustained in the dialyzer, balances pivotally sustained by the cell and provided with suitable weights, the socket-frames 2 L supporting the opposite ends of the frame of the dialyzer, horns 25 having their inner ends locked tosaid sockets, and hangers 29 supporting said horns and supported by the outer ends of the balance-levers, for the purpose set forth.

5. In an electrolytic apparatus, a cell, a dialyzer floating therein, anodes sustained in the dialyzer, a balance-weight distinct from and independent of a cathode, balancing mechanism intermediate of said weight and dialyzer, and a non-rigid connection between said dialyzer and the negative electrical connection for the same cell..

6. In an electrolytic apparatus, a dialyzer .floating or sustained in a cell by the varying specific gravity of the liquid therein, anodes sustained in the dialyzer, a metallic rod extending up from the dialyzer, a contact-pin extending down from the frame of the apparatus, and a balance-lever supported by a bar electrically connected with the next cell in the series and sustaining on one arm a copper mercury-tank, whereby the rising of the dialyzer to a certain point causes the said rod to lift the said tank into electrical connection with the contact-pin, for the pu rpose set forth.

7. In an electrolytic apparatus, a pair of dialyzers sustained in a cell by the varying specific gravity of the liquid therein, anodes sustained in the dialyzers, a copper mercury-tank supported pivotally by a bar electrically connecting the cell with the next cell in the series,

a lever or pivoted arm sustaining the tank, and. metallic rods or arms extending from the two dialyzers and adapted when the dialyzers rise to a certain point to lift the tank into electrical contact with the frame of the apparatus, whereby the circuit is completed through the tank when it has been broken by the rise of the dialyzers.

8. In an electrolytic apparatus of the character described, in combination with a pair of floating dialyzers, provided with closed tops, and anodes sustained in the dialyzers, the pipes I4 connecting with the interior of the dialyzers and extending up from said tops, the oil-cups L5 surrounding said pipes above the dialyzers, the pipes 46 closed at their upper ends and surrounding the pipes 44, the pipe 47 extending from one of the pipes 46 to the other, and a pipe 48 extending up from the pipe 47, for conducting the chlorin to a suitable chamber or receptacle, for the purpose set forth.

9. In an electrolytic apparatus, a dialyzer comprising the diaphragm, the opposite angle-iron bars 17, and the side bars 16, the upper edges of the diaphragm lying between said side bars and angle-iron bars, clamps 23 for securing the angle-iron bars and side bars together, a series of anodes in the dialyzer, horizontal bars 20 extending from recesses on the opposite sides of the anodes into recesses or grooves in the inner surfaces of the side bars 16, and bolts extending through the anodes and bars 20 and secured in recesses in the outer sides of said bars, for the purpose set forth.;

IO inner ends of the long arms of each pair of levers whereby said inner ends are pivotally connected over the two dialyzers, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two sub- 5 scribing witnesses.

FRANK J. BRIGGS.

Witnesses:

HENRY W. WILLIAMS, A. K. H001). 

